Earning an additional degree with the MD is a valuable way to explore interests and prepare for a future career.
MD-PhD - Van Andel Institute
WMed and Van Andel Institute Graduate School offer an eight-year program leading to both an MD degree and a PhD degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology.
Prerequisite Requirements
Applicants for the MD-PhD dual degree program must meet all admission requirements and standards of both the medical school for the MD degree and the Van Andel Institute Graduate School for the PhD degree. Applicants must take the MCAT, but the GRE is not necessary.
Application
Applicants for the MD-PhD dual degree program begin with the AMCAS application for medical school admission selecting the MD-PhD application type. They should also contact the medical school Director of Admissions to discuss their interest and coordinate the additional application steps. Select applicants will be asked to interview with both WMed and Van Andel Institute on contiguous days.
Program and Courses
Dual-degree students will complete Years 1 and 2 of medical school, complete the PhD degree, which typically takes four years (depending on successful completion of the doctoral dissertation), then return to WMed for Years 3 and 4 of medical school.
Students in the MD-PhD dual degree program complete all courses and clerkships required for the MD degree and also complete the biomedical research education including coursework, laboratory rotations, and dissertation research in the Van Andel Institute Graduate School.
Cost
Students are responsible for tuition for the MD program and are eligible for scholarship assistance. Van Andel Institute Graduate School provides financial assistance through a graduate fellowship during the PhD degree education that includes a full waiver of tuition for the PhD degree, health and life insurance, and a stipend for living expenses.
Graduation
Students who successfully complete all of the requirements for the MD and PhD degrees participate in graduation ceremonies at the medical school for the MD degree and at Van Andel Institute Graduate School for the PhD degree.